The present invention relates generally to engine valve unit pullers or appliers that are lever operated.
The typical, four-stroke, internal combustion engine has a pair of valves associated with each cylinder for admitting fuel and exhausting waste gasses. Each valve is movable within the cylinder head and is held firmly against its seat by a coiled spring. The spring presses against the cylinder head and against a washer which is secured to the valve""s stem by collets. An overhead camshaft, or tappets and rockers manipulated by a camshaft, are used to push the valve downwardly against the force of the spring to open the valve.
Over time, engine valves wear and their parts must be serviced or replaced. To disassemble a valve, the spring must first be compressed so that the collets associated therewith can be removed. Once removal of the collets has been accomplished, the valve may be readily disassembled.
Tools have been proposed for forcing the washer atop the spring toward the cylinder and valve heads. None has seen widespread use, perhaps because they have been cumbersome in their operation or because they have not been usable with engines of more than one manufacturer or model.
In light of the problems associated with the known tools for disassembling valves of internal combustion engines, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a valve spring compressor of uncomplicated construction that can be utilized with engines having a variety of configurations and being made by a variety of manufacturers. Thus, it is believed that the tool will have near universal appeal to engine mechanics.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a valve spring compressor for the purposes described which is lightweight in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and dependable in use.
Briefly, the valve spring compressor in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring a lever arm with an attaching member pivotally and releasably secured to its front end. The attaching member has a threaded portion and a first carrier portion attached thereto. The first carrier portion has a pair of first retaining legs extending upwardly from the threaded portion positioned on opposite sides of the lever arm. A compressing member is pivotally and releasably secured to the lever arm between its front and rear ends. The compressing member includes an inverted cup portion with a ring and a downwardly extending, peripheral flange. A second carrier portion is attached to the inverted cup portion and has a pair of second retaining legs extending upwardly from the threaded portion. The second retaining legs are positioned on opposite sides of the lever arm.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.